April 20th (4/20) has long been associated with marijuana, both
marijuana use and marijuana activism. Thousands of Americans will gather
on that day at rallies in Boston, Boulder, New York, Santa Cruz, Seattle
and other cities. For people who prefer to relax with a joint instead of
a beer or martini it’s a time to celebrate. For those who don’t use
marijuana it’s a time to stand up in support of their friends, family,
and fellow citizens who face arrest for nothing more than what they put
into their body. For the Drug Policy Alliance and the drug policy reform
movement 4/20 represents something even bigger.

The movement to end marijuana prohibition is very broad, composed of
people who love marijuana, people who hate marijuana, and people who
don’t have strong feelings about marijuana use one way or the other. We
all agree on one thing though – marijuana prohibition is doing more harm
than good. It’s wasting taxpayer dollars and police resources, filling
our jails and prisons with hundreds of thousands of nonviolent people,
and increasing crime and violence in the same way alcohol Prohibition
did. Police made more than 750,000 arrests for marijuana possession in
2008 alone. Those arrested were separated from their loved ones, branded
criminals, denied jobs, and in many cases prohibited from accessing
student loans, public housing and other public assistance.

Fortunately, the tide is quickly turning against the war on marijuana.
Legislators in California, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
South Dakotaand Virginia are considering legislation to decriminalize or
legalize marijuana. The venerable Economist magazine noted that
“marijuana could follow the path that alcohol took in the 1930s” out of
prohibition into a regulated market. Celebrities are speaking out. The
musician and activist Sting, for instance, recently urged people to
oppose the entire war on drugs. In November Californians will vote on
whether to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol; the
measure is ahead in the polls. Local California papers like the Orange
County Register and the Long Beach Press-Telegram have editorialized in
favor of the initiative, seven months before the vote. Nationally,
support for making marijuana legal is about 44 percent, with support
increasing about two percent a year. A recent Gallup poll predicts a
majority of Americans will favor marijuana legalization within just four
years if current trends hold.

The war on marijuana won’t end, however, if everyone who supports reform
stays silent. Maybe you smoke marijuana and are tired of being
considered a criminal. Maybe you work in law enforcement and are tired
of ruining people’s lives by arresting them. Maybe you’re a teacher or
public health advocate tired of politicians cutting money for education
and health to pay for the construction of new jails and prisons Maybe
you’re a civil rights activist appalled by racial disparities in
marijuana law enforcement. Or maybe you just don’t want your tax dollars
wasted on ineffective policies.

Regardless of your motivation, April 20th (4/20) is a good opportunity
for you to make a pledge to end marijuana prohibition. The Drug Policy
Alliance is asking people to use 4/20 as the time to commit to doing
something in 2010 to end the war on people who use marijuana. There are
many ways to help end marijuana prohibition. Donate to a drug policy
reform organization. Support the 2010 California ballot measure. Tell
your elected representatives to end marijuana prohibition. Talk to your
friends and family about why people who use marijuana shouldn’t be
arrested. Tweet this oped. Change your Facebook status to announce your
support for ending the war on marijuana. Stand up today with other
Americans and get the word out there. This war will end; how soon
depends, in part, on you.

Bill Piper is the director of national affairs for the Drug Policy
Alliance. The Drug Policy Alliance is urging people to take a pledge to
end marijuana prohibition athttp://www.drugpolicy.org/420